Forming 'Da Circle'

This past Thursday I sat in my first meeting of Da Circle, a student group to which I was invited by my undergraduate brethren. This was the initial meeting and proved to be quite stimulating. The gathering consisted of me, my brothers Chauncey and Zeke and various other men and women. It was a small group and we spoke on numerous topics including Change (when people change themselves or attempt to change others during or for the sake of a relationship), and Friends With Benefits (what happens that line between friends and lovers is blurred). Personally I feel “friends with benefits” is a PC term for “Fuck-buddy”; one young lady didn’t seem to think so.

Upon hearing much of the male rhetoric that was offered, it appeared that the ladies present were somewhat blindsided. It’s like they were thinking ‘Lord, these men are discussing relationships…and they’re making sense’. Soon after, they suggested a break for food. In actuality, this break was nothing more than a means to ‘regroup’ and formulate a not-so-tactful and practically unnecessary rebuttal, much to our (the men’s) expectation and disappointment.

They proceeded to not only join in the discussion but per a woman’s nature, sought dominance of the forum; listening to (but not truly hearing, I imagine) individuals they chose by means of selective call and response: Certain people in the forum offered their opinion and depending on what was said, they were either questioned repeatedly or cut off when they tired of him/her.

Due to the facilitator’s affinity for Q&A, we wound up falling into a skillful trap where the discussion deteriorated into an light, one-sided argument, which was not the purpose of this gathering. In keeping with their strategy, the ladies, it seemed, were unable (or in all likeliness unwilling) to embrace the overall logic and purpose of the discussion, seeking to merely overrun ‘the opponent’. To paraphrase comedian Chris Rock:

“Men have a need to make sense….She’s not in it for sense, she’s in it for distance and irritation”

Mission accomplished ladies.

They essentially yakked and yakked and yakked until the only voices that could be heard were theirs. The problem was this was not meant to be an arena of debate, but a place of healthy conversation. A means of establishing and refining one of the key elements in a relationship: COMMUNICATION.

This was only the first meeting, but the idea of 'da circle'has the potential to be a very positive outlet for new students as well as anyone else who’s having a rougher time than usual navigating the dating scene as well as life. A couple of gentlemen managed to get some weight off their shoulders that night and that’s what it’s really about. Everybody needs some kind of opportunity to let it all out before it eats them up inside. I’ve been asked to facilitate the next gathering, partly because I am the oldest in the group (27 y.o.), and my life experience has given me a thicker skin and fair amount of emotional distance from the other participants. I’ll keep them talking. I’ll keep them honest. It will be good.

Ryan Scales
October 4, 2009

Learning the way of no way

I've been a fan of Bruce Lee since I was in diapers. As I got older I became more and more aware of his philosophies and realized that they could be applied outside the martial arts.

Bruce alway spoke of the solvency of martial art, how over time, a fighter can eventually discard the unnecessary elements of combat. This is part of what makes a discipline unique, not in name or style, but to the individual practioner.

I was constantly thinking to myself, 'can't the same thing be said for art?' Indeed it can! In fact it is my belief that visual arts is where the essence of this philosophy is most readily shown! So many artists, so many styles and schools of art, and yet nearly every art style is unique in one way or another to the artist who applies it and uses it in self expression.

For years and years I have strived to emmulate my favorite artists. Studying every panel and pencil line veraciously and every art style I've ever seen has one thing in common: They are not MINE. I've spent all this time comparing myself to the artists I idolized and I wound up barely developing my own skills, thus impeding my natural growth.

For a more practical way of looking at it, consider this: One of my favoite comic book pencilers is John Buscema. His pencil work was masterful and to this day I look at his work with a sense of awe. I could spend a lifetime honing my abilities and creating a body of work that is exactly identical to his and still not be satisfied because it would not be my own, and there would be a part of me that felt I would never reach his level.

This is possibly the most valid reason for my fear of rejection by a publishing company. Not because they think my work isn't good enough, but because I think my work isn't good enough, because I've been trying to do someone else's work.

Adversely, I have sought to stay away from more contemporary styles that many artists have aped over the past decade, namely the anime and manga styles that tend to emphasize AND overuse action shots and whose lack of subtance is nursed along or overcompensated for with computer coloring and manipulation. These artists rely heavily on the marketing machine (generating a buzz for the sole purpose developing a movie or animated series). But the cleaner and more improved my work becomes, as I discard unnecessary elements, and develop and hone what is useful (as Bruce so frequently taught), I am coming to the realizaton that my visuals contain a look and feel not that dissimilar from a manga style. Particularly in the simplicity of my line work.

Thus I must learn from this and accept that the manga influence is an irrevocable and beneficial influence on my work as a comic book artist. I will seek to develop myself further and in doing so remember what letterer Richard Starkings once wrote to me: "Style is always secondary to Craft." I will stop worrying over my visual style...forget that have a style...forget style all together, and give all that I have to my craft. My name is Ryan Scales. I am a storyteller.

-Ryan Scales
July, 2009